Ralph Waldo Emerson may be a familiar name to you. If you haven’t heard of him, then I can highly recommend that you google and read a little about him and his work. Specifically, his essay and ideas on Self-Reliance.

Emerson was the original “outside the box” thinker. He questioned conformity, he questioned consistency and famously quoted ” A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines.”

Being an individual in a world where “herd mentality” is king is not always a walk in the park. Critical thinking can be confronting. Especially if you come from a background that values not questioning others as it is can be misconstrued as not being respectful of elders or authority.

Following your instinct relies upon you getting out of your headspace and into your heart space. Listening to your gut feeling is an instinct that requires practise, inner connection and not always the answer you are wanting to hear.

However, I can happily report this. I have never come across anyone who said to me that when they paid attention to their Instinct, the decision was wrong. In contrast, the number of times I have heard people say along the lines of “I knew there was something not right, I just didn’t listen to myself” is countless. Most can relate to this. These wrong decisions tend to evolve from the wrong space. Your heart of hearts always tells you the right message, in my experience.

When you think outside the box, you challenge beliefs. You may stand alone, but you will always stand with integrity